Story 1 Dark Breed
by SoJoGoGo
Summary: Seven of Nine has been with Voyager for a year. The crew of Voyager finds a new passenger, one that changes the course of Seven’s life forever.


**Story 1 - Dark Breed**

**By Sojogogo**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairings: None really maybe B/T, J/C but its just part of the story**

**Summary:** Seven of Nine has been with Voyager for a year and a half. The crew of Voyager finds a new passenger, one that changes the course of Seven's life forever.

**Author's Notes: **I am a huge Seven of Nine fan; even today I still love to watch her. (towards the middle of season 7 she lost a bit though, she complied too much to be a regular member of the crew and it got boring again) I wrote these stories about seven years ago, I've always loved them, and I was watching Voyager yesterday and decided to pull them out to reread them. Then I decided I wanted a good place to keep them, so I have posted them here. Each story is like an episode and they go in order with other episodes in between you can pick where they go. I also have no medical or scientific experience I'm just makin' all that up. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

**Disclaimer: **All is owned, outside of my characters, by Paramount and anyone else who has a right to them.

**Stories start at the beginning of the year 1999 or somewhere in the middle of season 5… **

**oooooooo**

**Captain's log, supplemental.** _We have been traveling through a quiet section of the delta quadrant for the past month. Lieutenant Torres has reported that we are running low on the mineral deuterium which is crucial to running the antimatter reactor. In a long range scan Lieutenant Commander Tuvok has found an ample supply of it's ore on a planet now less than two light years away._

**oooooooo**

"Entering an orbit around the planet," Ensign Kim called out from his post on the bridge.

"On screen," Captain Janeway said from where she and Commander Chakotay sat watching as the planet came into view on the screen in front of them. Except for the dim light a distance sun cast upon it, it looked almost darker than the black of space around it. The captain stood up moving to stand behind Lieutenant Paris taking a closer look at it.

"It looks...dead," Tom mentioned in a sober tone from his station.

Janeway glanced at him briefly then back to the screen. It did look dead. She couldn't see any bodies of water, mountain ranges, clouds of atmosphere, at least not right off. There was nothing green... there was...nothing.

"It looks like a big ball of dirt," Harry Kim said from his station. The captain was thinking the same thing. "The sensors are picking up a large body of water." He looked back up at the screen. "Somewhere out there," he said a little confused.

"Daylight should come to the sector of land where the deuterium is located by oh-nine-hundred," Tuvok told the Captain. "By my calculations it will only last three hours," he finished, looking at his console briefly. "Interesting."

The captain looked over in his direction. "What is that?" she asked him.

"There is a life sign on the planet," Tuvok replied.

Janeway looked to Chakotay who looked as surprised as her. "That is interesting," Chakotay told her.

"This is even more interesting," Kim piped up. "The scanners say that the life form is human."

"What?" Janeway turned back to look at the screen in front of her.

"Actually, the computer thinks it's human. The readings are a little mixed up," Kim added.

Janeway looked to Tuvok who nodded. "It's is uncertain but the highest reading is human." Tuvok raised an eyebrow. "There is also Borg in the life form. It is peculiar, the Borg technology does not seem dominant," he told her.

Janeway glanced at Chakotay who stood next to her. "This is very interesting," Janeway said to her first officer.

Chakotay looked to Tuvok. "Is it transmitting to the collective?"

Tuvok studied his station panel then shook his head. "There is nothing transmitting from the planet. In fact there is no technology on the planet at all," Tuvok informed him.

Janeway looked back at him. "With only one life form I'm not surprised." She moved back to her seat. "Bridge to Seven of Nine," she called out.

"Yes, Captain," Seven's precise voice could be heard throughout the bridge.

"Come to the bridge," Janeway ordered.

"Understood," Seven replied.

"Are they anywhere near the ore?" Chakotay asked.

Tuvok nodded, "I don't think they will be of much concern. It is only the one life form."

"Wait a minute," Kim called out. "The life sign is getting weak."

The Captain frowned. "What do you mean weak?"

Kim tapped a few pads at Ops, shaking his head. "I would guess like it had been hurt."

Janeway looked at Tuvok. "Animals?"

Tuvok shook his head.

"It's getting weaker!" Kim told them urgently.

"Beam it to sickbay," Janeway ordered to Kim as she stood. "Erect a level ten force field around it." She looked to Tuvok as she strode for the lift. He nodded and followed her. The door opened where Seven was waiting to exit. The captain held up a hand for Seven to remain where she was. Joining the young woman Janeway called out to the turbolift. "Deck eight."

"May I inquire as to what is going on captain?" Seven asked.

Janeway nodded slightly. "Has your proximity transceiver turned on?"

Seven's brow furrowed slightly. "No. It has not. Why?"

The turbolift doors opened. "You're about to find out," Janeway replied.

**oooooooo**

Entering the sickbay they saw the doctor standing over a lifeless form on the surgery bed with medical equipment in his hands scanning the form. He glanced up briefly to see who had come.

Seven's eyes became bright. "It has activated."

The three of them moved to the edge of the force field. Lying unconscious on the bed was a young woman around the same age as Seven. She was dressed in torn, dirty clothing that resembled something of the Borg, but it wasn't the regular armor they wore, it was cloth, and she looked as though she had been brutally beaten. Janeway looked at the light brown hair and the pale skin. She looked...human. There were two immediate signs of Borg technology on her. A slim line of metal running across her forehead and a star shaped implant on the side of her neck. Other than that, they never would have known.

"She doesn't look like any Borg I've ever seen," the captain said curiously.

"I need some help if I'm going to save her!" the doctor told them impatiently. Tuvok looked apprehensive. "She's not going anywhere!" the doctor bit out.

Janeway lowered the force field and moved to help the doctor. She got a closer look at the woman. She had jagged scars on her face. Some of them fresh while others looked to be years old. Seven came to stand behind her. Janeway helped the doctor with the clothing. Janeway was sickened to see the beatings the woman had taken. Almost every inch was covered with scars. The clothing peeled away as though it was going to fall off without any help. She noticed that the fine metal lines of Borg technology ran across different parts of her body. Some of them covering the places where she seemed to be so badly wounded her human self could not heal them in time. It was amazing. She glanced at Seven who also seemed rather curious.

Janeway looked with sadness to the doctor. "Could she have done this to herself?" she asked somberly thinking about the loneliness on such a world. It would be even worse for a Borg drone.

The doctor shook his head as he slid a gown onto the unconscious woman. "Look at these marks." He pointed a few out to her and the others. "That is from a fist." He showed her with his own how it matched by gently pressing his fist over one of the bruises.

"That doesn't make any sense." Janeway said looking to Tuvok for an answer.

"There are no other life forms down there," the Vulcan replied adamantly.

"Perhaps there are ones the sensors cannot detect," Seven offered.

The doctor turned on the diagnostic panels and they slid up to encompass the woman. "Well whatever it is I'm certain there's more than one. So they couldn't be that hard to find," he said briskly as he attached a small monitor to the woman's forehead.

Tuvok raised an eyebrow. Janeway looked to them. "Why don't we look into this further before we take an away team down there?" She turned back to the doctor. "Report when you have some news," she informed the doctor and he nodded as he quickly worked on keeping the young woman alive.

**oooooooo**

The three of them returned to the bridge. Kim looked excited and Janeway had to smile at the Ensign's enthusiastic attitude. "Captain," he said as she stepped out.

Chakotay smiled as Janeway joined Kim at his post. "What is it Harry?" she asked.

"You know how we only picked up the one life sign but no others?" She nodded. "Well, I've been running sensor scans along the surface of the planet. I'm picking up movement but no life signs," Ensign Kim told her.

Janeway looked to his console. He was right. "Have you run a self diagnostic on the sensors?" she asked.

"I ran a level four, twice," Kim replied. "The sensors are fine. I still come up with the same reading, movement but no life signs."

Janeway looked thoughtful. "Can you get me a visual of it?"

Kim's face screwed up slightly. "I can, but it's so dark that we may not be able to see anything."

"Do it anyway," she told him as she moved up toward her chair.

"Aye, Captain," he replied.

She didn't make it to her seat as Kim accessed the screen; it became dark with only a small hint of moonlight showing the surrounding area. Chakotay stood next to her. "You'd think it'd be brighter with three moons," he commented on the tiny satellites around the planet.

"It is residual light," Tuvok told him. "The moons are not in the correct position for direct illumination."

"I don't see anything Harry," Janeway told the Ensign. "Can you enhance the sensors?"

"I'll try," he replied skeptically. "But we're at maximum now."

The image was slightly brighter and Janeway had to squint to see the slight movement on the screen. "Did you see that?"

Lieutenant Paris nodded from the helm. "That had to be faster than a cheetah."

Janeway looked to Tuvok. "That's not a life form?"

Tuvok tapped a few buttons. "Not that the sensors can detect."

"Species 8116," Seven said from behind the captain's seat where she was reading her monitor. Everyone looked at her. "The Borg tried to assimilate them over five years ago. It was...unsuccessful."

Janeway folded her arms looking at the woman who stared back at her. "Why don't you tell us about them?"

Seven nodded slightly. "Species 8116 have superior strength, visual acuity, and stamina than the Borg. However, they are vicious and unthinking creatures."

"How come we don't get any life sign readings?" Janeway asked.

Seven pondered this for a moment. "They are...unliving."

"Wait a minute," Chakotay interrupted. "You're saying they're dead but still alive?"

Seven nodded. "Precisely."

"Like monsters," Kim said gravely.

Seven looked in his direction. "The mythology of beings that were once alive that have come back from the dead." She looked to Janeway. "They would coincide with the writings of Bram Stoker."

"Vampires?" Tom asked disbelievingly from the helm.

Seven raised an eyebrow. "We tried on many occasions to assimilate them. All of our efforts failed."

Janeway looked skeptical about the entire thing. "Well, if they were already dead then what would the nanoprobes have to assimilate?" There was a hint of a joke in her voice.

Chakotay looked at her. "I don't think we should dismiss this so easily Captain. Myths usually started from reality."

"Most likely from a figment of the imagination," Tuvok replied. "The myth of vampires in particular came from the plagues of the middle ages on Earth."

Chakotay smiled at the Vulcan. "If I recall there are mythological monsters from Vulcan as well."

"Few and far between Commander," Tuvok told him. "And none like that of Earth's vampire."

Tom grinned from where he watched the screen. "You just lack imagination, Tuvok."

Janeway interrupted the light banter. "Why didn't the Borg destroy the planet if they couldn't assimilate them?" she asked Seven.

"We believed with study we would understand and learn how to prevail over them," Seven told her.

"So the Collective left Borg on the planet?" Kim asked uncomprehending.

Seven's brow furrowed slightly at this. "Not to my knowledge. All Borg that were still alive were retrieved and a few of species 8116 were taken to be studied."

"Why was she left behind?" Janeway asked of the woman in the sickbay.

"I am uncertain," Seven replied. "Her Borg implants seem to be limited. She is not fully assimilated. I have not seen one like her before."

"Unless someone removed most of her implants," Chakotay mentioned reminding them of what they had done to Seven.

Seven nodded slightly in agreement. "That does have possibility. But she has no implants for assimilation tubules." She looked concerned for a second. "She is different than most Borg. I am not certain how."

"Tell me something Seven." Janeway asked. "Why do you liken species 8116 to Vampires?"

"They are approximate in likeness except thought," Seven told her. "It is told in the story the Count was intelligent. These creatures are nothing of the sort. They set out to kill, nothing more."

"And whoever they kill becomes one of them?" Tom asked curiously.

"We believe so," Seven told him.

"Wait a minute," Janeway stopped them looking fully at Seven. "You haven't actually seen this happen?"

"I was not here when the conflict occurred," Seven replied. "It is common knowledge in the Collective."

Kim smiled. "You tried to assimilate each other and you both failed."

Seven nodded un-amused at his teasing. "Yes."

Tom turned to look at Seven. "So this Vampire thing, they're allergic to sunlight, drink blood, can't stand crosses and garlic..."

"I am uncertain about crosses and garlic," Seven said.

"You mean they drink blood?" Janeway asked a little sickened.

Seven nodded. "We noted it on several occasions."

Chakotay looked in Janeway's direction. She knew the look. He was wondering if they should have brought the woman on board.

"Look at that," Kim said.

They looked to him then to what he was looking at, the screen. Red eyes moved about as figures moved into concealed places.

"I believe the sun is coming up," Tuvok stated.

Janeway looked back at Seven. "They aren't going to come out until the sun goes down?"

Seven nodded. "That is correct, captain."

Janeway looked back to the screen. "Tuvok, get a team together for security and surveying that ore. Seven you're coming with us as well."

"Captain," Chakotay said, "I don't think your going is such a good idea."

Janeway looked up at him. "Make sure you keep a good transporter lock on us." She didn't leave him any room to argue.

Seven and Tuvok joined her in the turbolift again. She watched Chakotay's worried face as the doors silently closed shut. She didn't blame him. But this was something she had to see for herself. She looked to Seven. "Are they sleeping or just underground during daylight?"

Seven thought for a moment as she accessed her vast collection of information. "Uncertain," she replied. "They are believed to sleep but they awaken instantly if disturbed."

"So it is not really known," Tuvok concluded.

"No," Seven replied.

"I think the Commander might be correct in your staying behind. This is very high risk." Tuvok directed the comment to the Captain.

Janeway smiled at her old friend. "I have a feeling I'll be okay."

Tuvok did not look pleased. Seven looked to him from the other side of the captain. "They will not come out. And the ore can be obtained without having to go underground."

"Somehow that does little to alleviate my concerns," he told her.

**oooooooo**

Neelix found the threesome on their way to the transporter room. "Captain, I was wondering if the rumors were true. About the monsters and the dark planet?" he asked.

Janeway wondered why she was surprised at how fast things spread through the ship. She looked closely at Neelix; he was rather pale and nervous. "Yes, it is," she said with concern.

Neelix shook his head. "I've heard rumors about this planet even as far away as Talaxia. You don't want to go down there Captain," he warned her.

Janeway smiled at him and placed a friendly hand on his shoulder. "The sun is up Neelix. We'll be fine."

Neelix sighed. "If you say so Captain, but I wouldn't step on the Dark Breed's ground for anything."

"Dark Breed?" Tuvok asked.

Seven nodded and answered the question. "It is what the other species call them since they are unable to name themselves," she told them.

"Just be careful Captain," Neelix pleaded.

"I will," she promised.

Neelix left them outside the transporter room wringing his hands. A security group was on the platform waiting to be sent down. Janeway looked to Seven. Seven looked back unperturbed by this. "They will not come out," Seven assured her.

**oooooooo**

When the transporter reassembled her molecules Captain Janeway looked about to the harsh atmosphere about her. The winds whipped along the barren wasteland all around her. The surface of the planet was vast with mountains and valleys that with life would have been beautiful. It was that lack of life that was so unnerving to her. There were a few trees and plants about but they were all brown and as dead as the rest of the planet. As far as she could see there were no signs of other beings. No signs of civilization. The ground that stretched out for miles was pale brown and the only things that broke up the expansive acres of dirt were the bodies of the dead. Thousands it seemed like to her.

"I thought they came to life once they died," Tuvok said. He's tricorder out studying the surrounding area. The rest of the team was slowly moving outward. Most of them had their phasers out. A few also had their tricorders.

Seven and the Captain looked with curious eyes. Seven pulled out her tricorder and read the monitor. "Most of the dead are Borg. The rest are species 8116," she informed him.

"So they don't live forever," Janeway said softly.

Tuvok stepped close to a corpse. "If they are ripped apart as this one." He tapped a few buttons on his monitor. "It seems that they were all killed. None of them died from natural causes."

"Captain," Seven called to her. "There is something in sector 42.1. It is Borg."

Janeway looked to Seven's readings. "And it's large," the Captain got out.

"Leaving the group would not be prudent Captain," Tuvok advised her.

Janeway looked to the rest of the group. "Have they located the ore?"

Tuvok tapped his tricorder. "Yes, it is north of our current location."

"Near sector 42," Seven finished.

"Let's go," Janeway told them.

**oooooooo**

Over one of the larger ridges they found the ground had been dug into. Shrapnel and bodies littered the ground. At one end of the gorge was an expansive hole in a mountain range.

Janeway looked to Seven and Tuvok. "The Borg?" she asked.

"Most likely," Seven told her.

"There is a large concentration of refined metals in the mountain. All with Borg signatures," Tuvok said looking at the readings on his tricorder.

Janeway looked surprised. "How come our monitors didn't pick that up?"

Tuvok looked to the range. "The mountain range for one and the sphere is heavily shielded."

"I think it's time we looked into this," Janeway said firmly. She tapped her combadge. "Commander," she called out to the ship.

"Yes, captain," Chakotay replied.

"I want you to transport the away team to these coordinates," she told him and Tuvok transmitted them.

"Is everything alright down there Captain?" Chakotay asked.

"Fine, Commander," Janeway replied. She could feel the transporter lock grab a hold of her to find herself in front of the opening to the mountain a moment later.

Tuvok scanned the area. "No life forms. But in this situation the readings are meaningless."

"Bright lights," Seven told them. "It will deter any of species 8116 from attacking if they are in the vicinity."

Janeway nodded. "Let's set them up then."

**oooooooo**

It didn't take long for the Commander to get some lights sent down. The security team slowly swept through the area placing them in areas to clear a pathway to the embedded Borg sphere. Captain Janeway had never seen such a thing on the ground before as she followed the huge gouge in the mountain to find the derelict. Borg cubes were massive compared to the size of any of the federation star ships. And the sphere was no different.

In the darkness of the unnatural cave the eerie lights that lit up the sphere flickered a dim glow about the place. All around it crumpled and heavily damaged pieces of the sphere littered the area about them. At ground level there was an opening that looked as if someone had taken a welding implement and cut the area out. What they had cut out had been pushed forward into a makeshift ramp leading up into the sphere itself. She could peer up inside at the not much brighter greenish cast of light.

"Four of the Dark Breed were found," Tuvok reported. "All of them terminated."

"What?" Janeway asked a little reprimanding.

"They had no option. The lights deterred them briefly but it didn't hold them off for long," Tuvok replied calmly.

As they got closer Seven stopped them. "It is on a modulating shield. No one but Borg may enter," she told them as she stepped forward.

Janeway lightly caught her arm. The ex-drone looked back at her. "Be careful, Seven. I want you to keep an open comlink and see if you can disengage the shield," Janeway ordered.

Seven nodded. "Of course."

Captain Janeway and Tuvok watched as Seven easily walked through the shielding and into the relic. Janeway looked at Tuvok. "You think this is how our passenger in sickbay stayed alive so long?"

Tuvok nodded. "It would seem to reason, Captain. There is no food on the planet. She would need to regenerate to survive."

"How are you doing, Seven?" Janeway asked.

"The sphere is heavily damaged. There is one alcove in the center that is still active," she replied. "All of the power is to the shields and the alcove. It will not be too long before all would fail. If I terminate its source it may not come back online."

Janeway sighed. It wasn't like she would put the woman in sickbay back on the planet. "Shut it down, Seven." She looked to Tuvok. "I think we have a new crew member."

The lighting from the embedded sphere flickered then disappeared leaving the away team with only the lights that they had brought with them. Janeway shivered slightly as the sphere took on a monolithic feel. Something like how she would feel if she were standing next to one of the greatest disasters of the twentieth century, the Titanic.

Tuvok nodded to her that the shielding was lowered and he and Janeway entered the sphere. More bodies littered the inside. On most of the Borg the flesh had rotted away and the metal parts remained behind. Janeway grimaced at the few which were still in varying states of decomposition. Seven was waiting for them a few levels down next to the single working alcove. The power in it was flickering with uncertainty. It and the area around it was covered in the blackness of dried blood. Seven looked disturbed at the sight but it was so slight only Janeway recognized it.

To the right of the alcove in the data receiver Seven placed her hand over it accessing the information in the sphere. "Species 8116 was taken aboard the vessel on Borg index 4539.895. A little more than five years ago," Seven said looking to Janeway for a moment. "It is uncertain how, but apparently they escaped confinement. They damaged over forty percent of the sphere before species 8116 was terminated on board. The destruction was too much and the sphere broke orbit."

"And crashed here," Janeway finished.

Seven nodded. "Yes."

"So she's been living here for over five years all by herself," Janeway mused as she slowly walked around the area taking in the horrid view about her trying to comprehend life here in this environment. "She's not connected to the collective so she's been all on her own." She looked at Seven. "She didn't have anyone to help her after the crash. This was all she had."

"She may be a savage like the others," Tuvok mentioned. The two women looked at him. "You did say that her assimilation was not like the Borg," he said to Seven. "It may be that she has learned survival from the Dark Breed."

Janeway sighed. "Well, we've succeeded with one we'll have to try with her. Besides we have our protégée to help us out."

Seven raised a curious eyebrow at the captain. "Helping a drone who knew nothing is one thing captain." She looked around at the silent chaos. "This is entirely different."

Janeway slowly nodded. "True, her situation is worse. If there is anybody that needs human compassion right now it's that woman in sickbay," Janeway told her.

"Somehow I doubt I am the one to supply that compassion," Seven replied in a firm voice.

Janeway smiled as her combadge chirped. "You did it once Seven..."

"Bridge to the Captain," Ensign Kim signaled.

Janeway tapped her combadge. "Yes, Ensign."

"The survey is complete for the deuterium. It's in a shallow enough area that it can be transported to Voyager," Kim told her.

"Proceed. Let's get the away team back," Janeway said to him.

"Aye, captain." Kim replied.

**oooooooo**

**Captain's Log, supplemental.** We have been in orbit for two days while we mine the deuterium ore. Lieutenant Torres has overseen the processing and is pleased at the quality of the mineral. We have kept watch on the Dark Breed below. Ensign Kim has enhanced the sensors so that we are able to see the movements of them. It is quite discomforting to see the power and chaos down there. The doctor has given a good but confusing report about our new Borg. It seems as though there is more to her than meets the eye as Seven suggested when we brought her on board.

**oooooooo**

"She's part Dark Breed," the doctor told the Captain as she and Tuvok looked at the supine woman. All of the scars were gone. She was clean and her skin had a healthy glow to it. The Doctor turned to the monitor. He showed them a DNA scan. "It's taken some time but I've separated the general genetics in her." He pointed to a part in the complex strand. "For the most part she's human."

"She was born human," Tuvok corrected.

The doctor shook his head. "She was born Borg."

Janeway looked startled. "How?"

"Most likely her mother was assimilated when she was pregnant with her," the doctor said looking their way. "It also seems that the Borg did some experimenting on her as a newborn while she was in a maturation chamber." He touched a few buttons and the images changed to show something new. "She looks to be in her mid twenties," he continued. "But she's not. I would guess late teens, nineteen or twenty years old at most."

"They sped up her growth rate," Tuvok said.

The doctor nodded. "In the process they infused the Borg technology into her. They aren't added in as they are in Seven. They are a part of her system. To get rid of any of them would kill her," he told them.

"Okay," Janeway stopped him. "In comparison to One." Referring to the twenty ninth century drone they had for a few days on their ship. "How advanced is she?"

The doctor looked thoughtful for a moment. "I can't say for certain, Seven would have to help with that since she knows more about the Borg than I do. But I've never seen one like her. I don't think anyone has. I would caution a guess and say she's the next step in advancement of technology."

Janeway looked at the pretty woman. She looked human, clear pale skin, not like the mottled gray of the Borg. "The enhancements on her could easily be covered up and no one would be the wiser unless they did an in-depth scan," she said partially to them, more to herself. The thought of the Borg wandering among humans and undetectable was a frightening thought.

"Precisely," the doctor added. "Borg but not Borg, if you want to put it another way."

"I fail to understand," Tuvok told them. The two looked to him. "If they have this technology why have they not used it? She had been part of the Borg over five years ago. If it was successful then, wouldn't we have seen more of them by now?"

"He has a good point," the doctor noted.

"Let's ask our resident expert then," Janeway concluded. She tapped her combadge. "Janeway to Seven."

"Yes captain," Seven replied back.

"Come to the sickbay."

"Understood."

"Maybe she'll make things a little clearer," Janeway told the two men.

"Maybe," Tuvok replied in a noncommittal tone.

"While we're waiting I'd like to show you a few more things about her," the doctor mentioned. Gently he pushed back one of his patients eyelids. Her eyes were a beautiful blue. "Watch this," he said. He held up a penlight and flashed it briefly in her eye. The blue faded so her iris was a solid black. The doctor took the light away and it returned to normal. "That seems to be one of the dark breed's genetic traits. I've examined a couple of the corpses from below. Their eyes are constantly red. Hers turned black but only at certain times. So it would be unique to her situation, probably occurring with an emotion."

"In defense?" Janeway asked.

"Most likely," the doctor replied. "Her eyes are extremely light sensitive. She won't be able to handle a lot of light at first, but if it's anything like how she's changing now she maybe able to handle more later on."

"I don't understand. What do you mean changing?" Janeway looked curiously at him.

"I've been intravenously feeding her human cells to keep her alive. That's why she looks so healthy," the doctor told her. "Her body can adjust to assimilate anything. She would still have to regenerate for her Borg implants. But her human cells are asserting themselves since the Borg technology isn't available. It might be possible that in extreme cases she wouldn't need regeneration in an alcove to survive." Janeway and Tuvok still looked curious not entirely understanding the point he was trying to make. The doctor sighed. "The more of one you give her, her body shifts to that mode."

"So if you gave her blood..." Tuvok started to say.

"Her Dark Breed traits would assert itself," the doctor finished.

"Then why should the Dark Breed attack her?" Janeway asked.

"Because she's not one of them," Seven answered from the doorway. The three looked in her direction. "She is also not entirely Borg or human." She strode forward to join them. "Did you need something captain?" Seven asked. She peered down at the woman.

"I was wondering if you can remember anything about this technology. Is it advanced? Have the Borg used it and we just haven't seen it?" Janeway asked looking directly into Seven's eyes.

Seven looked to her unblinking. "The technology was considered temperamental," Seven told her. Janeway looked surprised. "I have accessed what I can on it. Most of it was deleted when we believed she was terminated on the sphere. There are only remnants of this knowledge."

Janeway folded her arms. "I think we have the time to hear what you know."

Seven gave her, her full attention now. "We believed we could assimilate those of a species before life was given to them. That we could predict and modify their implants for a more advanced drone," Seven told her. "Over a period of time certain females of different species that were assimilated were found to be in the gestation periods of procreation. The adaptation within the womb proceeded. It was found that the process was different with each species. Some died before birth, others deformed and unacceptable. A few became drones but just as all other drones. This one was the only to survive birth with new enhancements."

"Just as the collective wanted." Janeway whispered as the unconscious woman on the biobed took a new light in her eyes.

Seven nodded and continued. "We found that once she had passed the fourth gestation period in the maturation chamber that the collective's hold on her was incomplete.

Assimilation was tried again but it failed since her technology was higher than our own. Her growth was advanced beyond normal parameters to try assimilation on a fully matured adult."

"But they failed," Janeway deduced.

Seven nodded. "Her technology is rare. It could not be replicated even though it was tried several times after the collective understood her value. Such perfection could not be destroyed. It must be studied," she finished in a slightly fascinated tone.

"Why did they not try assimilation to another species from her nanoprobes?" Tuvok asked.

"They did but the data about the experiment is deleted. I do not know what happened," Seven told him.

The doctor stepped in. "She doesn't have assimilation tubules so how could she do it at all?"

Seven looked to the woman on the bed. "She cannot. The nanoprobes were extrapolated."

"Is that why they considered her a failure?" Janeway asked.

Seven looked back to the Captain. "She was not considered that, only unstable. She was not in harmony with the collective. We believed it could be rectified."

"She had free thought," Janeway whispered thoughtfully as the possibilities of growing up around a mass of joined minds and not being a part of it. She was studied then accidentally abandoned not long after she gained full consciousness. The captain could only image the bitter separation in both worlds. The young woman lying on the table in front of her had been through probably some of the worst situations imaginable in such a young life.

"She also could not assimilate information from the collective," Tuvok added.

Janeway looked to Seven who nodded. "A Borg, but not a Borg," Janeway said softly, restating the Doctor's words.

**oooooooo**

"She poses a security risk," Tuvok said as he and Chakotay stood in the Captain's ready room with Janeway sitting at her desk listening to their ideas on what to do about their new member. "We have no idea what she will be like when she is awakened."

"News about her being part Dark Breed and Borg is not doing well among the crew either," Chakotay added.

Janeway sat back in her seat giving them a look of contempt. "What do you suggest we do with her? Put her back? We haven't even seen what she's like yet and everybody wants to throw her off the ship." She was a little disgusted at the backbone her crew was showing.

Chakotay smiled. "Not everyone. She needs help and I'd go with meeting her. But what if we can't handle her? What if she is a savage like Tuvok suggested?"

"The doctor said he'll wake her up in the morning. Let's wait and see what happens," Janeway told them.

"I'm assuming you'll have high security when this happens," Tuvok replied.

The captain smiled. "Of course Tuvok. Tomorrow at oh-six-hundred."

She dismissed them and sat in her seat looking at the information on her guest and the deuterium ore. They were ready to leave orbit of the dark planet and from B'Elanna's report they had plenty of the mineral purified and either in use or stored away for later. Kathryn herself had to admit the Dark Breed terrified her, but this woman deserved a chance at a good life. And if she could, she would give it to her.

**oooooooo**

Janeway entered the sickbay at 0600 to find chaos. The doctor was arguing with Tuvok and at least ten security men were cluttering up the room. Seven stood to one side watching curiously as the doctor yelled at Tuvok and the Commander raised an eyebrow at him.

The doctor spotted the captain and looked relieved. "Captain! Could you please get all of these people out of my sickbay?"

Janeway raised a hand stopping him before he continued on. "Tuvok, leave two of your men in here and the rest out by the doors."

"Captain that is not a wise..." the security chief started.

"Commander." She looked at him with the full authority of her rank. "We'll have a force field up and the rest of us are here. I do remember how to hold a phaser," she said sternly. "And I'm quite certain Seven does as well."

Tuvok did not look pleased but he did as his captain ordered. "Very well, Captain." He dismissed most of the men to the corridor.

"Thank you," the doctor said sarcastically to him.

He had the computer dim the lights before his holographic image moved through the force field to pick up a hypospray. He pressed the end to the woman's neck and released the stimulant into her. She took a breath and her eyes blinked open. The doctor was astonished to see the depth in those eyes. They locked onto him, turning black she sat up. Her reaction caused some concern as she began to move away trying to put some distance in between her and the doctor. He could see it in her body language, they all could. She was scared.

"It's alright," he said comfortingly. "No one's going to hurt you anymore."

His voice did it, she became completely still watching him. Her eyes began to shift back to blue when she glanced at the three people on the other side of the force field only to have her eyes shift once more to black. Swiftly she tucked her feet under her rising into a crouch she perched on the end of the bed waiting to see what would happen.

"They won't hurt you either," the doctor tried to reassure her. She looked at him again and her eyes returned to their natural state. The doctor looked to the captain. "I think she understands."

"No one tried to bite her. That's a good start," Chakotay said from behind them. He had joined them late.

The young woman looked at him, assessing the tall commander. Then she looked to the Captain, then Seven. Her eyes stayed with her the longest, glancing over the Borg technology evident on her. Then she looked to Tuvok. Her eyes went a little black then back to blue.

"It appears she does not like you," Seven said, appraising the reaction.

Tuvok raised an eyebrow. "It would seem so."

"So far so good," the captain murmured. She looked to the young woman then moved forward slightly to catch her attention. "Computer lower the force field." With a flicker it lowered and the captain slowly came closer so she didn't startle her. She stood on the other side of the bed across from the doctor and bent down slightly to look her in the eyes. "I'm Captain Janeway. We're going to help you," she said gently.

Their eyes met and Kathryn was overwhelmed at the complexities she saw there as the doctor had. Fear, curiosity and many other things played in the deep blue eyes. The young woman shifted a little reaching out a hand and touched the captain's cheek with gentle, shaking fingers. The captain let her. The woman looked to the rest of them then dropped her hand away from the captain's face. She mouthed something and the captain looked intently at her trying to understand the mute lips. The woman looked away as if the captain had caught her off guard.

The captain smiled lightly touching her knee. It was a little cold but the doctor had warned her that the Dark Breed in her would make her temperature slightly lower than normal. The young woman's leg tensed slightly but Kathryn left her hand there until it relaxed. She looked to the others. Chakotay and the doctor looked pleased. Seven and Tuvok seemed indifferent.

"I think she's going to do well here," she told them.

**oooooooo**

It was only a few hours after meeting this newest member as Captain Janeway sat in her ready room reading a report from aeroponics when her door chimed. She put the report down with a little relief. "Come in," she called out.

The door opened to let Tuvok enter. In his usual Vulcan fashion once he had entered he came straight to the point. "I believe the dark planet holds more on it than we original thought, Captain," he said handing her a datapad.

Janeway took it from him briefly skimming the Commander's findings. "A city?" she asked in surprise.

"The sensor scans acquired by Ensign Kim show the city is in ruin. Dirt accumulation had made it almost invisible to our first sensor sweeps," he informed her.

She looked at more of his data. "I guess that would be understandable considering that the city is made from stone."

"Carved from it would be a more accurate interpretation, Captain," Tuvok said.

She nodded vaguely as she read more. "So it is." She set the pad down and looked up at the serious man. "It's quite a distance away from the location of the Borg sphere." Janeway sat back in her seat looking quite thoughtful. "I wonder why they abandoned it?"

Tuvok raised an eyebrow at her. "A more direct question to ask is how did they build it in the first place?"

Janeway's eyebrows rose slightly she smiled nodding to him. "Good point Commander. So let's take it a step further. Who built it?"

**oooooooo**

"Archeology is not of value to the Borg, Captain," Seven told her in the Astrometrics Lab where the Captain had come to ask her questions. "Data of this 'city' would not have been retained in the Collective."

The captain sighed slightly. "Well it was a thought..."

"However," Seven continued startling the captain as she often did with her candor. "I find that this lack of information is unacceptable."

Janeway raised her eyebrows in surprise. "How so?" she asked wanting to lead her friend into new ideas beyond her normal Borg world.

Seven looked directly at her. "With the information we may gain from studying these 'relics' we may find a way to defeat species 8116."

Janeway almost rolled her eyes at Seven's one track mind on this subject. "We don't want to defeat them, Seven," she told her. "We want to find out how they came to be. Who they were before this happened?"

Seven looked a little annoyed. "I do not see the relevance in such questions, Captain. Species 8116 is a threat to...humanity."

Janeway could have sworn Seven still had a hard time saying that word. "What about our latest addition to the crew?" She asked watching Seven closely. "She is part Dark Breed..."

Seven turned away from her tapping pads on the control panel. "From the data the doctor has ascertained I have concluded that her genetics contain only 13.7 percent Dark Breed. Her implants and Borg technology comprise 16.65 percent of her body, leaving the rest for her human genetics and molecular construction. She is hardly part Dark Breed, Captain," Seven told her.

Janeway smiled at Seven's strictness for the facts. "Tuvok is forming an away team to study the ruins once daylight reaches the area."

Seven nodded. "I wish to join him on this assignment."

The captain had a feeling she might.

**oooooooo**

The small away team was transported directly into the center of town. Harry and two security officers had joined the Lieutenant Commander and Seven. The winds ripped through this tiny, deserted valley. The buildings looked like hills as the dirt completely covered them.

Tuvok tapped his combadge. "Tuvok to Voyager."

"Voyager here," the Captain replied.

"We have arrived safely and are proceeding into the ruin on the southwest sector."

"Understood, keep your comlink open," she ordered.

The five of them headed for the largest of the buildings in the center of the city. None of them could tell what the building originally looked like. Harry had his tricorder out and was tapping away on the pads. "I'm not detecting any movement inside," the Ensign told them.

Seven looked to the Ensign. "We should still proceed with caution," she informed him bluntly.

Kim glanced briefly at her almost making a retort. Then he reminded himself it was just her nature. But it still irked him every so often, so he ignored the comment. "I should get a better reading once we're out of this wind."

Tuvok nodded. He had his phaser in one hand and his tricorder in the other as they came to the small opening left for the entrance to the building. Glancing about the area he noticed that the place looked untouched. With his logical mind he concluded that it was irrelevant. The wind could have swept away any tracks not too long ago. The two security men had their weapons drawn. Ensign Kim had drawn his. He noted that a small film of sweat had formed on the Ensign's brow. Seven was the last to arm herself. "Let us proceed," he told them leading them down into the unknown.

**oooooooo**

Commander Chakotay sat comfortably in his chair on the bridge. The Captain was in her ready room going over some of the daily reports from various departments. He sat back in his seat watching his small screen in between his chair and the captain's. His shift would be over in a few hours and he was looking forward to a quiet dinner with Kathryn. He was surprised she said yes when he asked the day before. She had been busy with the young woman in sickbay. Chakotay wasn't certain how to accept the woman himself. But he had seen the look in her eyes and something seemed to touch him deep down in his soul. Unlike Seven when she had first come on board, this woman was not confident or sure of herself. She had learned to be alone and untrusting. She had learned self control through fear. And from everything they had learned so far about the waif, she was the most deserving on any kind of compassion Voyager and its crew had to offer. Chakotay shook his head as he thought about it. Her encounter with the doctor and Kathryn was most likely the first display of kindness she had ever received.

"Commander," the Ensign at Ops called to him.

"What is it Ensign?" he asked.

"I have four ships on long range sensors. They are on a direct course to our location."

"Distance?" Chakotay queried as he tapped some of the pads on his own small console.

"Twenty light years," the Ensign replied.

"I'm reading heavy armament on them." Ensign Paris said from the helm. He turned to look at him. "And they out gun us."

Chakotay nodded at the concern he heard in Tom's voice. "Are they close enough to see them?"

The Ensign nodded. "Yes, but not that well."

"Do it," he ordered. The image on the screen flickered from the planet to the four tiny ships heading for them. "Magnify." The ships were heavily armored and the weapons systems were quite visible. They weren't ships on a peaceful mission. Chakotay looked back at the ensign. "Are we in range to hail them?"

The ensign tapped on his console and shook his head. "Not yet."

Chakotay nodded standing. "Mr. Paris, you have the bridge." He headed for the captain's ready room wondering if they were going to get to have dinner together tonight at all.

**oooooooo**

Harry was the last one to enter the deserted building. He watched as Seven's lithe figure went through then he followed. All of them had to turn a little bit to go through the dirt crevice so they wouldn't bring a shower of grit down on them. Harry was the heftiest and he wasn't much bigger than Tuvok's thin frame. The Ensign had to turn fully to the side; even then he could feel the rain of dirt pour over him. He coughed, inhaling the dirt causing him to cough harder. He made it through as the others waited for him. It was pitch black and the memories of the dark breed running across the screen on the bridge made Harry nervous. Quickly he turned on his wrist lamp scouting out his small area of dark space to make sure it was safe. His light found Seven first; he almost smiled to see she was now covered in dust. All of them were covered with a fair amount of it. Harry self consciously brushed himself off before he began to look about.

The inside of the building was immaculate. Well, it would have been if it wasn't in such a state of degradation. His light played across high columns of what his tricorder read as marble. It rose from floor to ceiling with beautiful gold inlay of trees and people. He wondered if that was what this world once looked like. Harry looked up from his tricorder to take in a better look of his dark surroundings. The room was huge. His light couldn't even reach the other side. A couple of the members of his team had slowly wandered to the left of him slightly spreading out. Their lights gave him a general idea with his readings that the room was well over two hundred feet around. He moved forward almost stumbling over the edge of a step leading upwards following Seven to join the others. Flashing his light up he found stairs leading off in all different directions. There were containers in between the stairs that made have held giant, tall standing plants or a grand fountain at one time. Harry was never one to digress that he had a vivid imagination. He could picture what splendor this place must have looked like when it was first built as he quickly made his way to join the others.

Tuvok looked to the somewhat huddled group in their collected light so they could see one another. "I read there are two levels above this one. Ensign Kim and Seven, you will take the second level and the rest of us will go to the third."

Harry nodded and took the lead up the stairs. They came out into a section of the building. Something moved to the right of him and as his heart sped up he played his light over to the movement. He breathed a sigh of relief; it was only tattered strands of cloth dangling from the walls fluttering about in the soft wind rushing up the stairs from the lower level. He could hear Tuvok and his group head to the level above them. He looked over at Seven who looked as calm and secure as ever. He made a mental face. Did nothing frighten her?

"I will take the left passage, Ensign," she said calmly.

Harry wanted them to go together. Safety in numbers and such but he didn't want her to think less of him so he nodded even though she couldn't see it. "Yell if you get into any trouble."

Seven looked curiously at him. "Why should I raise my voice when I can contact you by communicator?"

Harry shook his head knowing it would take time to make her understand. "Never mind," he muttered.

Cautiously he moved into the darkness on his own. His heart was beating quickly as he peered into each corner of the room. One by one he moved through them. There wasn't much to see in them, and where the dark breed came into mind that was a good thing. Once he was certain it wasn't inhabited by anything living, dead or in between he began to carefully look at things in the rooms. Scraps of old dilapidated furniture were smashed and strewn about the place like a still holophoto of something gone wrong. A few more tatters of cloth dangling from the walls.

It was definitely a pre warp civilization. He found in the outer room that there had been windows in the building. Now all of them were packed with dirt. He was about to turn back when his boot hit something hard. Crouching down he found an old box. Putting his phaser away he brushed some of the dirt off. It looked more like a medium sized treasure chest from one of the holonovels he had played in as a child. He scanned it. It was mostly iron, no wonder it was so hard when he kicked it. Tugging on the lid Harry found it was locked. He was tempted to use a low setting on his phaser and open it but he resisted. He scanned inside and found nothing dangerous. Papers, glass and metal objects. He tapped on his combadge. "Kim to Tuvok."

"Tuvok here," the Commander replied.

"I've found a chest; it's locked but contains items."

"I have also found something. Put a locator on it and I will have them transported to Voyager."

"Yes, sir." Harry replied.

He attached a locator on the top and waited for a second watching as the chest disappeared. He turned his light swiftly when he heard a thumping noise back in the direction of the stairs. It sounded like footsteps. He smiled and shook his head at his fear. It was Tuvok and the others. He headed back to join the others in discovering the rest of the city. His brow furrowed a little when he realized the footsteps were light, almost faint, as though someone was barely touching each step. Then he noticed that the sounds were coming up the stairs. It could be the others... something in his chest told him it wasn't as his heart sped up. His mind logically assumed it was. But just to be on the safe side he readied his phaser.

**oooooooo**

Captain Janeway stood next to the commander in the center of the bridge looking at the oncoming ships. "Try hailing them," she told the ensign.

"I have them on visual," the ensign replied.

The screen of a pale greenish looking species showed themselves. They were a little scaly and their eyes were a bright yellow. They wore deep brown uniforms and none of them seemed amused. "You are in the restricted zone!" the one in front exclaimed. Its voice was deep and its body hefty enough to identify it as male. "You will leave this system now!"

The captain raised an eyebrow at the command the alien had given her. "I'm Captain Kath..."

"I have no concern of who you are! Any ship coming near the dark planet will be destroyed! Leave before we reach you or you will be terminated!"

"I can't do that," Janeway said more uptight than she normally would be. If there was one thing she didn't like others giving her, it was ultimatums. "I have people on the surface."

The alien blinked in shock. "Are you that foolish? Didn't you listen to the warning beacon in orbit about the planet? "He shook his scaly head."They are lost, you must leave at once."

Janeway's eyes narrowed firmly but gave a quick glance to Chakotay and his eyes confirm it. They hadn't found any warning beacon. "I don't leave any of my crew behind," she said darkly to the alien.

"Then we will be forced to destroy you," the alien told her.

"I fail to understand your unease with us exploring the...dark planet," the captain honestly replied.

"It would be catastrophic to us all if the Dark Breed were allowed to leave this planet. If one of your crew were infected and returned to your ship you would all change and the Dark Breed would contaminate other worlds. The Ganom have devoted our lives to making sure this does not happen. Leave now or we will hunt you down," he threatened.

"I will not leave my crew behind," Kathryn said stubbornly.

"Then prepare yourselves to meet your maker," he told her confidently just before he cut the link.

Janeway looked to Chakotay. "Let's get the away team back and get some distance between us and those ships." Chakotay nodded.

**oooooooo**

Peering out into the main hallway on the second floor Harry first heard scraping noises. Then he saw two pairs of red eyes making his heart leap up into his throat. They were getting closer and there was nowhere for him to go. Taking a deep breath Harry stepped out into the hallway shining the light from his wrist into their faces. Dirty, long nailed hands went up attempting to protect themselves from the light for a second until they realized it wasn't harmful. Harry aimed his phaser as the hands came down and the red eyes and fangs appeared.

One of them hissed at him and he fired at that one first. The fire from the phaser knocked it back into the wall, slumping over it moaned a horrible sound from the back of its throat. The other one jumped at him. Harry backed up but the leap was astounding and the Dark Breed was on him scratching and clawing. He was knocked to the floor with the monster on top of him. Yelling in terror as Harry felt sharp fingernails dig into the soft flesh of his arms. He fought to push the thing off of him almost overwhelmed by the stench of death that permeated the air around the creature.

The Dark Breed gripped his collarbone and broke it with a simple squeeze. Harry cried out in pain as he felt a hand jerk on his ankle. The bone snapped and he sobbed. The Dark Breed looked away from him to the other creature that Harry had shot before. It jumped at the intruder fighting over the meal as Harry hunted for his phaser he had lost when thrown to the floor. The hum of phaser fire came from the main hallway. The Dark Breed that fought over Harry paid no attention to the noise coming closer. It was a fierce struggle; the one that had brought Harry down killed the other by ripping off its head. Harry almost gagged at the sight and the overpowering smell of old blood and decaying flesh. The remaining Dark Breed came back crouching over him as Harry gripped onto his phaser. In the dark he knew the settings and pushed it up to its highest level. He aimed it at the chest of the Dark Breed as its hands grasped onto his wrist. He fired screaming at it in defiance. With the flash of light emitted by the phaser the Dark Breed was disintegrated. Harry's arm when limp with a broken wrist. The shock took him over and he passed out.

**oooooooo**

**Captain's log, supplemental.** _We broke orbit of the Dark Planet with the Ganom ships directly behind us. Fortunately for us we are capable of out running the heavy battle ships and continue to distance ourselves from them. Ensign Kim survived his encounter with the Dark Breed. The doctor healed the breaks easily but kept him in sickbay for forty eight hours from shock he had taken from his encounter. I found it interesting that our young ward was not alarmed by Ensign Kim's wounds. I suppose I shouldn't. _

_Commander Tuvok isn't certain where the Dark Breed came from in the ruin but Harry is fortunate to be alive. The items the away team found on their mission has intrigued me greatly. One found by Commander Tuvok was a large stone tablet with strange symbols and pictures carved into it. Ensign Kim's discovery was an old chest filled with paper scrolls also written in the same language as the tablet along with a few vials filled with liquid and large gem carved to form a transparent sphere. _

_I am quite convinced that these people were not always the monsters we see now. Seven and the doctor have begun to study the vials. And I have perused the tablet and scrolls along with Chakotay but have found nothing that would help us in understand them. The doctor has given our newest member a passing bill of health and has released her from sickbay. I was pleased when Neelix volunteered to show her around and get her settled into some quarters near cargo bay two. She hasn't spoken anything yet. I am concerned that she never learned how. What is more surprising is that Seven has decided to take her under her wing since she has to regenerate. Between her and Neelix I think she'll be alright. I had asked Seven if she was ever given a name by the Borg. She tells me that if she had it was deleted from the files as well. We can't continue to call her, 'she' or 'you'. Someone is going to have to decide on a name for her if she's not able to give herself one..._

**oooooooo**

Neelix entered sickbay to find the lights were dim, making him squint to see anything. He saw the young woman standing next to the doctor in the doorway to his office. She was all dressed in black, only slightly shorter than himself. Her light brown hair was quite long and pulled back to the nape of her neck with a small clasp. Her long bangs hung gracefully to the sides of her face, her eyes nervous and black. She was very pretty and Neelix took in a breath at the sight of her. She looked to Neelix then she looked to the doctor who stood at the main console in the room.

The doctor turned to smile at the Talaxian. "Ah Neelix, right on time." He looked to his young charge who had taken half a step behind him. "It's okay. Neelix is just going to show you around, then to your quarters. Then Seven will escort you to see the captain."

Neelix stepped forward smiling at the young woman. He held out his hand in friendship, "Hello there." She looked at it curiously. Her brow furrowed as she looked to the doctor.

"Take his hand in yours," the doctor instructed. She stepped out a little bit and grasped his hand with her smaller one. Her grip was astonishing as Neelix's eyes went wide. "Not so hard," the doctor told her. Her grip relaxed and Neelix shook it lightly. "Why don't you get your glasses?" She left them for a moment while Neelix shook out his hand to get the blood running through it again. The doctor smiled. "If she had gripped it tight she would have broken every bone in your hand."

Neelix looked to the petite figure. "She's that strong?"

The doctor nodded as she came back to them. He looked down at her. "Remember what I told you. No one is going to hurt you. If you shake someone's hand, do it gently. And don't look directly into a light. Not until your eyes adjust." He took the glasses and placed them over her eyes. They fit right to her face. "Normal illumination," the doctor called out to the computer. The room became its regular brightness and the doctor looked at her. "Okay?" She nodded. "Then let Neelix show you around."

The Talaxian gestured to the doorway and she followed him. Once outside sickbay she kept close to him as they walked along taking in the sight of this new place. "Voyager has been my home for six years now. You'll like it. Captain Janeway is the best you'll find. And there's Commander Chakotay, and the others on Voyager are all wonderful people."

He glanced to see her looking around. A few crew mates passed her, both of them staring for a moment before they moved on. She watched them as they passed. "Don't worry about that, let them get used to you. After a while they won't even bother." He moved her along. "Down here we have some of the holodecks. You might like those. And maybe later Seven or B'Elanna will give you a tour of the Astrometrics Lab and Engineering. It's just a few levels down, quite exciting."

He led her to the turbolift and she entered with him. "Deck ten," he told the computer and it began to move. The woman stiffened a little and the movement she felt around her but as she realized nothing was wrong she slowly relaxed. "That's where the Mess Hall is." Neelix continued on not really noticing her uneasiness at their moving downward. "That's my place. I run it and I'm the ship's Morale Officer."

The doors opened and he led her along the corridor into the mess hall. There were a few people about. Tom and Harry sat at a small table while a foursome were at one of others in the middle of the room. They all looked to them. "Ah... Ensigns Paris and Kim. This is..." He looked at her, speechless for a second. "We really do need to find you a name."

Tom came up and smiled holding out his hand. "Welcome aboard Voyager." She took his hand and gently shook it. Tom winced, tactfully shaking out his hand when she let go.

Harry looked a little wary of her but he had seen her in sickbay during his recovery. She had watched him during that time not understanding what everyone was worried about.

Tom looked between the two of them and he smiled. "Come on, Harry. I'd have thought the two of you would have a lot to talk about," he said trying to alleviate the tension in his friend.

Harry glared lightly at him. "What does that mean?"

Tom nodded to the young woman. "You thought your wounds were bad. She's had to endure that kind of treatment for five years."

Harry's eyes blinked wide a couple of times. He had never thought of it that way. "At least they didn't rip your head off." The young woman nodded somberly. The terror of the Dark Breed's fury was the only thing that the two of them on board Voyager shared. Harry slowly smiled, accepting her. "Just as long as I don't have to go through something like that all the time."

Neelix helped her on through bypassing the two young men. "Now the doctor wanted to get you started on food right away." He sat her down and got her a plate full of edibles. "He didn't say exactly what so I'll take the liberty myself of choosing for you." Tom and Harry sat nearby but not close enough to be intrusive. Neelix put the plate down and sat across from her as she watched the others eat. "I don't know if you've ever eaten anything..." She looked at the place and poked a finger into the gooey pie Neelix had made. "Now that's made with kalertian berries. A little tart but very good, even if I do say so myself," he told her as she gingerly touched her finger to her lips and tasted the pie. Apparently she liked it she took another taste bringing some berries out with it. It was close to dribbling on herself and the table when Neelix stopped her. "Ah..." He held up a fork. "Let's try using this."

"I'm impressed Neelix," Tom teased him. "Someone who likes your cooking, and I'm sure the doctor had pie in mind."

Neelix smiled at him. "Very funny, Mr. Paris." He put the fork in her fingers and showed her how to use it. Neelix had to grin she looked much like Seven did when he first taught her how to eat all over again. She looked to Harry who was eating from his plate. She watched him then did the same. "Very good," Neelix complimented her. She finished the pie and he found her a plate of something that looked like meatloaf with a green sauce on the top. Slowly but surely she got the hang of it and had finished off that and two other plates of food by the time she was full.

It wasn't long before he escorted her out and up two floors to the living quarters Chakotay had assigned her. The doors slid open and she followed him in looking about curiously. "Here's the replicator," he began to instruct. "And this is the living area. In there is the bathroom. Out here is the bed." he said showing her around.

He looked behind to see that she was no longer there. She was at the windows looking out at the stars that slid past. She took off her dark glasses and squinted at the space in front of her. "Computer reduce the lighting to one third." Neelix called out. It lowered and she opened her eyes. "Set that lighting and execute on entrance." He ordered the computer. It beeped in acknowledgment.

He watched as she respectfully placed her hands on the window. It was a sobering moment to watch someone who had never seen the stars up so close before. "I'll leave you to look around. Seven should be along any moment to take you to see the captain," he said quietly. She turned and looked at him her hands still on the glass. She gave him a brief smile as though she was uncertain about what a smile actually was. He smiled back and left her looking at the stars.

**oooooooo**

Chakotay had watched Seven and the young woman come onto the bridge and he smiled at the young woman. It took her a second as her forehead creased in thought to slowly release and she made an effort to return the smile. He nodded and sat back in his seat. She was definitely different than any other Borg he had met. Well not quite, the ones that saved his life were friendly after he got to know them. Captain Janeway waited as Seven and the young woman entered the ready room.

"Seven," Janeway nodded to her. Seven stood waiting in her usual uptight stance. Janeway looked to the young woman who entered. She wore the glasses and the loose clothing that fit her demeanor. She looked like a teenage rebel in some ways. "I hope you're doing well on Voyager," she commented. The young woman looked at her then slowly nodded.

"It would help if you reduced the lighting," Seven suggested.

Kathryn did and the young woman took off her glasses. "I don't suppose you have a name and you just aren't telling us are you?" She lightly teased the young woman. The young woman looked curious then saw the expanse of windows to the left of her and the stars rushing past. "I'll take that as a no," the captain said. She looked to Seven who had turned to watch the younger woman who was edging towards the windows. Captain Janeway stood and joined her by them. Seven stood behind them both as the young woman looked out into space, soft light from them shown on her and the captain. "Ayden," Janeway said softly as she watched the young woman.

"Captain?" Seven asked.

Janeway smiled at her. "Inspiration, Seven."

"Inspiration?" Seven said skeptically.

"I looked at her and Ayden is what came to my mind. My roommate in the Academy, at that moment she looked just like her. Last time I heard she was a commander on the USS Kildare. Ayden Wells." Captain Janeway smiled fondly. "She helped me through Xenobiology." She looked closely at the young woman who was still watching the stars. "Besides we have to call her something." She looked to Seven. "Do you want to think of one?"

Seven raised an eyebrow at her. "No."

"What do you think?" She addressed the young woman. "Will Ayden do?" The young woman glanced at her. Her mouth moving slightly, she nodded. "Good." Janeway smiled. Seven grimaced slightly and Janeway gave her a look. "You said you didn't want to think of one."

"Names are inefficient," Seven told her. "A designation would have been better."

The captain grinned. "What would you have designated her as? Two?"

"It is not without merit," Seven replied haughtily.

"Maybe not, but we already have someone with a number for a name. I prefer not to have anymore. Besides we could always start calling you Annika."

Seven glared at her. "I do not prefer that designation."

Janeway shrugged. "But it's still a part of you."

Ayden turned to look at them now that she had watched the stars. "Se-ven." The two women looked at her. She looked back with the same intensity. "Se-ven o-of ni-n-nine," she slowly got out with a lot of stuttering.

"How did you know that?" Janeway asked.

Ayden looked at them, then to the artifacts on the tables around the ready room silent once more. "Apparently she's not going to say," Seven replied.

Janeway looked to Seven with a very serious expression. "Did you tell her?"

"No. The doctor or Neelix could have," Seven replied. "Both have familiarized her with some of the ship. She could have heard it from anyone."

The two watched Ayden as she crouched down to look at a model of the ship sitting on a small side table. "How much do you think she knows?" Janeway asked.

Seven looked back at her. "Enough to survive."

**oooooooo**

Seven was the first to finish regenerating. The doctor prescribed five hours for his patient to help her back to full strength. Seven only needed three. She stepped out of her alcove and looked to Ayden whose eyes were still shut. Memories had come while Seven slept. They were all faded and out of alignment. Seven did not like those dreams, the kind that were illogical. She wished she could purge them from her mind as the Borg had pushed them away when she was connected to the Collective.

In the same thought she undid that wish by wishing she could remember more about it. She looked to Ayden once more. After the younger woman had finished regenerating she would need sleep. The explanation the doctor had given to her and the captain was that the Dark Breed accelerated her burning carbohydrates, giving her superiority in many aspects and that required sleep. Her entire down time was thirteen hours. It would level to eleven when she was healthy enough. Almost half of Ayden's life would be in regeneration or sleep.

Seven went to her Borg control panel and began her daily log. She had already wasted thirty seven point four seconds on this and she had spent over a half an hour the day before trying to explain the concept of stars to Ayden since she liked to look at them so much. Seven didn't see anything fascinating in them. They were a mass of molecules forced together by gravity. That was all. She wasn't sure if Ayden understood even if Neelix thought she did. What was also strange to Seven was that the crew of Voyager accepted Ayden with more ease than her. The captain had noticed this and explained to Seven that it was the difference in their natures.

Seven gave the captain a slightly confused look. "I do not understand."

Captain Janeway sighed as she sat down on one of the couches in her ready room. "Seven, do feel you have anything to learn from the crew of Voyager?" the Captain asked.

Seven looked curious. "That would be unlikely," Seven replied.

Janeway smiled. "They know that you feel this way. You set yourself apart from them. You aren't allowing them to really get to know you." She thought for a second. "Ayden… is like a clean slate. She watches everything that goes on and she doesn't make any assumptions that she knows more than them."

"I fail to see how they can know this since she has not conversed with them," Seven replied.

Janeway sipped at her cup of coffee. "Let me ask you this Seven. What do you see when you look in her eyes?"

"In Ayden's?" Janeway nodded. "She has blue eyes." Janeway lifted an eyebrow and Seven looked back slightly annoyed at Janeway's ploy to make her make her come to her own conclusion. "You are speaking about this depth the doctor proclaims is there." She did not sound pleased.

"Don't dismiss the doctor so quickly, Seven. I've seen it myself." She took another sip from her cup. "It is said that the eyes are the window to the soul. I think when Ayden breaks out of her shell we will see quite an amazing person."

"Breaks out of her shell?" Seven asked.

"Everything she's lived on is fear," Janeway told her. "Fear of dying, being alone, who knows what else. Once she begins to talk and learn, once she realizes that no one on the ship is going to harm her, we're going to see the real her." She looked up at Seven, setting her cup on its saucer.

**oooooooo**

Janeway watched as the statuesque woman left her ready room. Seven wasn't happy with her. But that was normal for them. They did get along well even with all the turbulence. Kathryn sighed as she finished her coffee. Tuvok was supposed to report about Ayden in a little less than an hour on her intelligence and learning levels. And knowing her security officer he would include her skills in combat.

Picking up her datapad she went over a few technical reports from Ensign Kim and the latest from Chakotay on their shadow, the Ganom. It seems as though Ensign Paris, and with a few tricks up Ensign Kim's sleeve they have evaded their pursuers. Kathryn felt a little better, but she had the feeling the Ganom were not going to give up so easily.

The hour seemed to pass quickly when her door chimed and Tuvok entered at her call. He handed her a datapad. She skimmed over it and her eyebrows came up in surprise.

"She can't read?"

Tuvok gave a slight nod. "Her illiteracy surprised me as well. I believe I have a theory as to why."

Janeway lowered the datapad to her lap. "Let's hear it."

"At first I assumed it was because of the advances in her Borg technology. I had to discount that and the idea that because she was unable to assimilate since her human factors would still give her the capacity to understand rudimentary symbols. With the doctor's help we were able to ascertain that from the combining of genetics where she is capable of superior physical strengths it has limited her technical understanding."

"So with a teacher she could learn to read..." Janeway began to suggest.

Tuvok shook his head. "The only way she can learn technical aspects would be through assimilation or example."

Janeway blinked a couple of times. "Never?"

"Unless one of the genetic factors is removed the variables are not in her favor. The doctor advised against it. In essence the Borg nanoprobes keep the dark breed in line allowing her human nature to stay on top."

"And she can't assimilate," Janeway whispered.

"That is another matter."

Janeway looked curiously at him. "What do you mean?"

"We assume she cannot. But she is a new advancement of Borg technology. Assimilation may be entirely different."

Janeway shook her head. "What about One? He had the same tubules as Seven and he was twenty ninth century Borg technology."

"She is unique. I do not think the Borg are enlightened enough to try it again," Tuvok told her.

"So you think assimilation is possible," Janeway replied.

Tuvok nodded. "I do."

"Do you think she knows how?"

"That is highly unlikely. If she did, she would know more than she does."

"What about speaking?" Janeway asked as she glanced at the datapad again.

"She knows the basics. She did speak to you and Seven. She never had a reason to speak down on the planet," he said.

Janeway looked curious. "Silence was probably a great value on the Dark Planet."

"I am certain of it," Tuvok replied. "I suggest varied contact with the crew."

"Neelix and the mess hall," Janeway said with a smile.

Tuvok nodded. "I know of no one with such great longing to speak. And he is quite fond of her."

Janeway smiled. "I'll talk with him."

"I have already taken the liberty of doing just that," the Vulcan told her. "He has taken her there already."

Janeway nodded. "I would like to see her and Seven tomorrow at oh-nine-hundred."

"I will inform Seven of it," Tuvok said.

"And her combat skills?" She looked at him expectantly.

He nodded looking unembarrassed that she had assumed correctly that he would try such a thing. "I did not gain much in that area. I showed her a simulation on the holodeck, Earth's Vietnam war." He was silent for a second. "She did not do well."

Janeway became concerned. "I thought she was superior in physical prowess?"

"Her failure was not in combat," he replied. "It was in willingness to stay there. Ayden looked the area over and headed for the door. She was very quick. I estimate she could sprint faster than most animals in peak conditions."

"We should give her some time to adjust," Janeway said.

Tuvok nodded. "It would be logical."

**oooooooo**

Neelix watched as Ayden sat in one corner of his kitchen. She sat eye level with him on the counter, out of the way. He didn't even have to ask. She watched him and the others. Her eyes took in everything that went on around her and the busy mess hall. Tom and Harry sat close by, talking to her. She was listening to them as Tom reveled in one of their adventures. Harry corrected parts that Tom embellished on and they argued for a moment. Neelix had to admit that though she wasn't as stunning as Seven, she was very pretty. He wasn't sure about her wearing all black. He had tried to talk her into something more colorful but she smiled warily at him shaking her head. She had a stunning smile. He wondered if Seven would ever smile.

His attention came back to the present when she lithely slid off the counter. He turned to look at her as she moved past him out towards the windows. Tom and Harry watched with him. Ayden stood looking as a distant sun passed. Pulling her glasses off she blinked heavily and kept her eyes slitted as she watched. Soon it was gone and she looked back at Neelix confused. He never got a chance to answer when Seven came into the mess hall. The ex-drone took one look at Ayden who looked back at her. Something passed between the two and Ayden came towards her.

Seven looked to Neelix. "I have need of her for the moment."

Neelix was concerned about his charge. "Okay, just make sure she gets back here."

Seven nodded and Ayden smiled slowly at him as she followed Seven out. Tom chuckled from the other side of the kitchen. "Imagine what Seven's would look like if she smiled."

Harry grinned dreamily. "I can."

B'Elanna who came in from the other side of the ship at that comment laughed. "I bet you can." Harry blushed and B'Elanna patted him on the shoulder affectionately.

**oooooooo**

Janeway watched the two younger women with her in her ready room. Where Seven liked to stand straight in front and face you directly, Ayden liked to perch and watch from a corner usually to look out a window at the stars. Janeway looked back to Seven.

"You've read Tuvok's report?" Janeway asked.

"Yes, captain," Seven replied.

"Any ideas on her illiteracy?"

"I could directly link with her," Seven told her. "She may assimilate my knowledge."

Janeway looked surprised. She had done the same before with One. "I thought that was painful for you?"

Seven nodded slightly. "If it would alleviate problems, then it is the most logical thing to do."

"I'm not so sure about that," Janeway replied. "I don't want any harm coming to you. We'll look at it from different angles first."

"I have found none," Seven told her.

"You're only looking at it from one angle, Seven. That it can't be done." Seven's eyes became a little hard. Ayden looked from the window at them. She could sense the anger between them. Janeway noticed this and decided to avoid an argument in front of her. "We'll discuss this later. Has she spoken any more to you?"

"No, but we seem to communicate with each other," Seven said.

Janeway looked curious. "How?"

"I believe it is through our implants."

"You're in direct link?" Janeway asked her voice going serious.

Ayden looked to her then to Seven. "No, captain, I sense it," Seven said looking at Ayden. Their eyes locked. "I think she understands more of it than I do."

**oooooooo**

**Captain's log, supplemental.** _I'm pleased to report that over such dismay in her arrival Ayden is a welcome addition to our crew. Tuvok had wanted to train her for security but it was agreed that with her avoidance to violence it would not be wise. Neelix tried to put her to use in the mess hall helping him but he found out that she's not fond of fire. Commander Chakotay, Seven and I finally realized that Ayden is going to have to learn just like Naomi Wildman is. I have left her in Seven's care since Ayden seems to be more at ease with Seven around._

**oooooooo**

B'Elanna sat in the mess hall fascinated by the sight of Ayden. The young woman watched all of them who came in for lunch or a break. Or at least B'Elanna thought she was watching them. It was a little foreboding to see her dressed entirely in black with dark glasses on. But then she had read the doctor's file on specific needs for Ayden until she had adapted to life here. Relaxing in her seat she sipped on a cup of her favorite Bajoran tea and watched as the brown haired girl sat completely still. B'Elanna was dining alone that evening. Tom had more duties now that he was down to the rank of Ensign.

Someone on the other side of the room got up to leave and Ayden's head made only the slightest turn to take the movement in to account. Personally B'Elanna had never spoken to her. She didn't have the time to entertain the newest straggler to come on Voyager. She grimaced to herself as she said it. '_Got to get that temper into check,'_ she berated herself.

She had seen the conditions on that god forsaken planet. She looked to the young woman again. That environment alone should have made her a mental case. Neelix said something to Ayden from the front counter who gave a slight nod and slipped off the counter in a fluid movement. B'Elanna's cup stood still in her grasp almost reaching her mouth. Every reflex showed that Ayden had the strength and dexterity to be an excellent martial artist. B'Elanna's own mother would have told her that she wished B'Elanna had practiced enough for that graceful motion. Ayden moved to the back of the kitchen area to help. The doors to the mess hall opened and Chakotay came in. He smiled to B'Elanna and moved in her direction. She smiled back as he stood next to her small table.

"Mind some company?" he asked.

"Not at all," she replied motioning to the chair across from her.

He sat and looked over to the kitchen area of the mess hall. "With all the people around I'd have thought Neelix would be here."

"He's in the back with Ayden."

Chakotay nodded in understanding. He excused himself and got a cup of coffee for himself and returned to sit with her. "So what do you think of her?"

B'Elanna shrugged as she took another sip of her tea and he drank from his cup. "What's to say? I don't really know her." She looked around. "Everyone else seems to like her."

Chakotay smiled. "Not as foreboding as Seven," he said out loud about what B'Elanna had in mind.

B'Elanna glared a little at him. "At least she doesn't think she's perfect," she replied grimly.

Neelix and Ayden came out of the back of the kitchen and Ayden perched herself back up on the counter in a single move. B'Elanna stared jealously once again. Chakotay noticed the look in B'Elanna's eyes and had seen Ayden's movements in the reflection of the window. "I take it you haven't shaken hands with her yet," the Commander told her.

B'Elanna glanced in his direction. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Chakotay shook his head at her biting tone knowing it was just normal attitude. "Tom had a couple of bruises on his hand just from shaking it the other day."

B'Elanna snorted but she had seen the bruises herself. "No one's that strong."

Chakotay grinned. "You saw the recording of the Dark Breed and Harry's injuries. That with her Borg implants..." He left it open and took another sip of his drink.

B'Elanna glared at him again. She hated it when he did that. She looked to Ayden then back to the Commander. "Are you leading up to something, Chakotay?"

He shrugged. "It never hurts to make a good impression on her."

She gave him an annoyed look and he smiled wider. "Are you ordering me to baby-sit, or is it my choice?" she asked in an un-amused voice.

"Look at it this way Lieutenant. She's not going to argue with you," Chakotay replied with a smile.

**oooooooo**

B'Elanna relented to the Commander's wishes. She had decided on the holodecks when they stepped out of the mess hall. Ayden walked silently behind her and B'Elanna mused a bit longer. She stopped and Ayden stopped too. She turned to face the younger woman in the corridor. They were the same height and B'Elanna's brown eyes registered directly into Ayden. Ayden's brow was slightly furrowed with curiosity as she waited to see what the Lieutenant would do. Slowly Ayden lowered her face away from B'Elanna's demanding one. B'Elanna blinked in surprise. No one had ever done that before. Not to her anyway.

"Come on," she muttered a bit more gently. She continued on down the hallway. She didn't hear footsteps fall in behind her and she looked again thinking Ayden had stayed behind. She was wrong. Ayden was right behind her. She started down the corridor once more watching this time. The only footsteps she heard were hers. She looked to Ayden who looked confused. B'Elanna turned completely so the woman was out of her visual range. The engineer smiled.

**oooooooo**

B'Elanna stood next to Ayden as she talked with the computer. They stood in front of holodeck three. Ayden looked at the doors nervously then back at the Lieutenant who smiled at her. Her attitude had changed. Ayden had not spoken but her presence alone was interesting to B'Elanna. She felt a peace inside, one she rarely ever felt. She also found that Ayden seemed to sense B'Elanna's acceptance of her and she was more relaxed around the Engineer.

"Computer run program, Torres alpha 4A," B'Elanna told the computer. The doors slid open and B'Elanna gestured for Ayden to come with her. "It's okay; nothing's going to happen to you."

Ayden followed warily, watching her. The doors closed behind her and Ayden looked to the dark room. Torches were lit; it looked like a cave almost. Ayden removed her glasses taking in their surroundings. Her eyes were black and she was tense as though she was waiting for something bad to happen. "No one is going to hurt you Ayden. This is a simulation, it's not real," B'Elanna reminded her. Ayden looked to her again then back to the room. "Remember I told you about holograms?" Ayden looked to her then gave her a slow nod. "Good. That's all this is. Computer, first opponent." A large Klingon appeared out of thin air and Ayden stepped back with amazing speed give her and the large man some distance. B'Elanna turned to see she wasn't there. She turned completely around to find Ayden on her other side. She jumped a little from shock. "Ayden!" She exclaimed angrily. "How did you...!" She looked back to where she had been a moment before. "Never mind."

B'Elanna took her jacket off so she was down to her tank top. She handed it to Ayden. "Sit over there," she instructed the younger woman to a group of flat rocks, Ayden complied, perching as she usually did. B'Elanna came to face the unmoving Klingon. She got in a fighting position. "Activate program." The Klingon roared to life and B'Elanna guarded herself moving slowly on the balls of her feet watching him.

"What is this!" the Klingon yelled at her. "A puny woman! You're not even a full Klingon!" He looked to Ayden. "Both of you, women! This is no battle!"

B'Elanna turned in a swift side kick and got him in the gut. The Klingon stepped back from the blow. "Try that for size!" B'Elanna yelled back.

The Klingon growled and fought her. The two of them punched and yelled at each other, kicked and screamed back and forth for quite a few minutes. B'Elanna barely won. She was sweating and breathing hard with quite a few scratches on her as Ayden came down off her rock and looked at the Klingon lying on the floor. She looked to the ridge on B'Elanna's brow then back to the hologram. "Yes, I'm half Klingon," B'Elanna told her.

"De-ad?" Ayden said slowly. She looked the B'Elanna. "He i-is de-dead?"

B'Elanna shook her head. "No, he's a hologram. Something the computer made up."

Ayden slightly touched him with her boot. He was solid. She looked confused at B'Elanna. She opened her mouth slightly but it took time for any words to come out. "N-no-t re-re-al."

"That's right. He's not real," B'Elanna replied. She looked at her. "So you can talk." Ayden looked away. B'Elanna became concerned. "Talking is good. Talk all you want." She took her jacket from her. "Do you want to try?" she asked, offering the program.

Ayden shook her head. "Had too much violence in your life already?" Ayden glanced at her slightly then looked away. "I understand."

They left the holodeck together. Ayden replaced her glasses at the difference in brightness and B'Elanna shut the program off. "Is that why they hurt you?" she asked gently. "Because you wouldn't defend yourself?" Ayden became pale and she wouldn't look at her. "Don't worry about it," B'Elanna told her. "Just know that self defense is okay. Everybody should be able to."

**oooooooo**

Captain Janeway entered cargo bay two on her way back to her quarters late into the night. She found Seven regenerating in her alcove by herself. With a quick scan she looked about the large supply room. Ayden was supposed to be here as well. She had been on board one week and was still the most talked about person aboard the ship. She found that B'Elanna had coaxed her into the holodeck once and was not completely put out by what had gone on, though none of them learned much by it except her wariness towards violence. At least the Lieutenant had gotten her to stay. She was also surprised to see how much her chief engineer had taken to her. B'Elanna friendship to others was not easily given. Ayden, it seemed, had a way of surpassing the barriers that was not readily available to others. But then she was quite sure that no other person like Ayden existed.

Kathryn moved up to Seven's alcove and tapped a few buttons to bring her friend out of her sleep. Seven's eyes opened and she stepped forward disengaging herself as the computer sounded.

'_Regeneration cycle incomplete.' _

Seven looked at her. "Do you require something, Captain?"

Janeway held up a combadge for Seven to see. "I came by to give this to Ayden..." She backed up a little showing the empty alcove. "I thought you might know where she is."

Seven looked slightly surprised. "I do not know. Her regeneration was to finish after mine." Seven then looked a little less worried. "It is most likely she has gone to look at the stars," she said with a hint of annoyance.

The captain nodded slightly. "She does seem quite fascinated by them doesn't she?"

"I fail to see this great interest in them."

The Captain smiled. "Everyone has their own interests, Seven. I remember..."

The doors to the cargo bay opened interrupting her and Ayden came in. She stopped just inside when she saw the two women talking. Seven looked slightly upset. "Where have you been?" she asked taking long strides across the room to confront her. Ayden stiffened backpedaling into the doors with a thump.

"Seven... Ayden wait...," Janeway called to her as the doors opened and Ayden ran out. Seven turned to look at the captain who walked over to join her. "Confrontation is probably not going to produce results with Ayden," Janeway advised.

Seven gave her a superior look. "Resistance is futile."

The captain shook her head but had to smile a little at that as she led her out of the doors to look for Ayden. "Somehow I get the feeling futility is all too common in Ayden's life for her to have much concern over it."

It didn't take long to find that Ayden was in her quarters. The young woman sat next to the windows her forehead leaning against the glass. Janeway and Seven entered the unlocked room.

The Captain sighed. "Ayden," she said in a calm voice. The young woman glanced at her. "No one's angry with you." Ayden looked to Seven who looked just like she had in the cargo bay. She looked back at the Captain then to the space outside the window. She didn't believe her.

Janeway moved to sit on the couch just to the side of Ayden. She held out the combadge to her. "I'd like you to have this." Ayden looked to the badge then to her, questioning. Janeway carefully took it hooking it in place on the front of Ayden's shirt, in the same spot as her own. "Do you know what it is?"

Ayden looked at the gold and silver Starfleet insignia on her chest. She shut her eyes for a second then looked to the captain. "Co-commun-i-ca-cate," she finally got out in a quiet voice.

The captain nodded. "So we can communicate with each other, and so we know where you are if you need help." She became serious. "If someone contacts you, you need to reply Ayden."

The young woman did not look pleased.

"A 'yes' would be sufficient," Seven told them seeing the look on Ayden's face.

Janeway smiled. "Just so we know you're there." Ayden looked at the two women then slowly nodded. "Good." The captain sat back a little in her seat. "There are some things we need to discuss." Ayden looked uncertain. "As captain of this ship you understand that I'm responsible for everyone's welfare, including your own." Ayden looked surprised at this but nodded. "I expect my orders to be carried out." Ayden looked even less certain than before. "I've decided that Seven would be best to help you with your new life on Voyager, which means I expect you to do as she asks, just as you would with me." Ayden looked to Seven who was watching her closely. "As you can see Seven is not a part of the collective anymore. We've given her back her individuality. You have to realize with her and with the rest of us that just because our tempers flare doesn't mean we're going to harm you. It will most likely be out of concern for your well being."

Now Ayden did look confused. "We-wel-l be-ing?"

Seven raised an eyebrow. "You do not understand the concept of 'well being'?"

Ayden looked a little afraid of her but shook her head. Janeway touched her hand and Ayden jumped a little not used to the feeling. "Your life has value, Ayden. All life has value, which means your life has a purpose. To learn and to grow and explore new things," Janeway told her. "Seven and I and the crew are going to help you do those things, if you'll let us."

Ayden looked at each of them for a minute then out to the stars. She nodded. Janeway stood up feeling a great sense of relief that Ayden was at least willing to try. "Why don't you go with Seven and finish regenerating."

Ayden stood up, warily keeping her eye on Seven. Seven nodded in approval and turned leaving the room. Ayden followed but took one look back at the captain in uncertainty. The door shut and Janeway sat back down. She looked out the window at Ayden's stars.

"Maybe it's a good thing I've never had any children." She put her fingers to the throb in her forehead. "I've already got enough of them to worry about."

_"Doctor to the Captain,"_ the doctor came over the communications.

Janeway sighed internally. "Yes, doctor."

_"Could you join me in sickbay? I have some interesting new data to show you,"_ he told her.

"I'm on my way," she replied. Picking herself up off the couch she headed for the doors.

**oooooooo**

"It took some doing but I've figured out Ayden's DNA," the doctor said from where he stood next to Janeway when she came into Sickbay.

Janeway looked a little confused. "I thought it was already a fact that Ayden's true genetic makeup was human?"

The doctor gave her an impatient look. "Of course we already knew that," he replied slightly condescending. "I'm talking about her exact DNA. Not with the others clinging on to confuse the computer." The captain folded her arms giving him the 'so what' look. He sighed. "I put her true DNA sequence through the data base last evening and this morning I activated it to find that I have a match," he looked so thrilled, more thrilled than usual.

The captain looked surprised. "A match? You've found Ayden's family? Who are they?"

The doctor looked almost angelic as he strode about the sickbay with exuberant glee. "Think about how many Borg-humans you know of in the Delta Quadrant."

Her brow creased then her eyes widened. "Doctor... you aren't saying..."

He nodded rapidly. "I reran the test twice just to make certain."

"I wonder how she's going to handle this," Janeway muttered.

"Which one?" the doctor asked.

**oooooooo**

"A younger sibling?" Seven asked as though she didn't fully understand. She stood just off the alcove platform near the captain and the doctor in the cargo bay. Ayden was slightly out of her alcove looking nervous and confused. "This is most illogical," Seven concluded glancing at Ayden.

"On the contrary, it's not," the doctor countered. "You may look the same age but she's at least eight years younger than you."

"You will rerun the tests," Seven replied firmly.

"I did," the doctor said not understanding her testiness. "Ayden is your sister. She wasn't born when you and your parents were assimilated but your mother had to of been pregnant with her at the time." He looked to the captain. "It's a good thing the Borg considered Ayden's advancement in technology a failure or the human race would be in serious trouble."

Janeway came up closer to where Seven stood while Ayden studied them. "I know it will take some time to get use to, Seven." She looked at Ayden. "It's going to take time for you both."

Seven fully stared at Ayden trying to make the concept of flesh and blood family fit in her Borg parameters. The younger woman almost shied away but returned the stare with a little apprehension. "We will do as you suggest."

The captain nodded. "At least that's a start."

**oooooooo**

Seven entered the mess hall to find it was quite full. Many of the crew gave her a certain look which confirmed her suspicions that the doctor had let the news of her relationship with Ayden be known. Harry who was sitting with Tom and B'Elanna stood slightly waving her over. She complied to stand by them. Tom gave a friendly grin with overtones of amusement. "So how does it feel having a younger sister?"

Seven looked down at him. "I am uncertain. I was not aware of our relationship until I was informed this morning. I require more time to adjust to this situation."

Harry gestured to the empty seat across from him. "Why don't you join us?"

Seven nodded. "I do not require anything at the moment."

"Ayden's not here if that's who you're looking for," B'Elanna told her.

Seven glanced in the Lieutenant's direction. "She is not. Commander Chakotay has offered to teach her his... vision quest."

"You know, I remember all the fights my younger brother and I use to get into when we were young," Tom said reminiscing.

"You have a younger sibling?" Seven asked.

Tom nodded leaning back in his seat with a smile playing on his face. "Bobby, or as my father called him Robert -"

"And fighting with him was a daily occurrence?" Seven interrupted.

"Of course, my mother would wonder what was wrong if we weren't at each others throats all the time." Tom grinned at her.

Seven looked apprehensive. "You are using your sense of humor," she judged accusingly.

Harry and B'Elanna gave him a look and Tom sighed. "Well, not all the time. But we did have some fights."

"Then you and your brother did not like each other?" Seven concluded.

Tom looked surprised. "No, I liked my brother very much..."

Harry spoke up. "No one is as important as family, Seven. You love them no matter what."

Seven looked to B'Elanna. "Do you find this to be true?

B'Elanna shrugged. "I've never had any siblings and my parents weren't always around. But everyone on Voyager is a part of my family. I think the same thing applies for that."

Seven nodded. "Thank you for your advice." She turned to leave.

"Aren't you going to stay?" Harry asked forlornly.

Seven looked back at him. "I must speak with the captain," she replied leaving them.

B'Elanna looked at Tom as she picked up her fork. "Somehow I don't think she took your words to heart," she implied at his teasing.

"Come on, B'Elanna." He smiled at her. "She's got to learn not to take everything so seriously."

"Ayden's already frightened of her," Harry said not too happy with Tom's comments to Seven.

Tom drank from his cup before he replied jovially. "See, they're off to a good start."

**oooooooo**

Chakotay sat across from Ayden in his quarters. It had taken them a lot longer to get started than he originally planned. All vision quests were started in a place where you felt at peace. Ayden didn't understand the concept of peace. So Chakotay took her to the holodeck and showed her one of his favorite programs, the forests where he had gone exploring as a young child. Chakotay was pleased with Ayden's childlike fascination. She touched everything, the roughness of the trees, the green bushes and the grass and soil. He encouraged her to remove her boots and walk barefoot through the grass. It didn't take long before she was out running. He lost sight of her before long and sat down on a rock wishing he still had that freedom of spirit. Chakotay also had a good enough sense to have the computer record Ayden's actions. The captain and Tuvok had been curious about Ayden's strengths, maybe this would help.

Sitting in the peaceful rays of the warm Earth sunlight Chakotay relaxed. He listened to the birds sing and the wind gently sway the leaves and branches. It almost made him forget he was in the middle of the delta quadrant teaching a young woman how to enjoy life. A shadow fell on his face and he opened his eyes to find Ayden standing in front of him blocking the sun. She looked a little out of breath but there was a rosy tint to her cheeks. B'Elanna had been right. He hadn't heard her either.

**oooooooo**

Tom had come out of the turbolift on to the bridge to start his shift. The captain sat in her seat watching the screen. Her head turned slightly as she noted his presence. He smiled to her. "Sorry I'm late, Captain."

"I've noticed that the Commander is also a little late," she replied.

Tom saw that Chakotay's chair was empty. Tom smiled to himself. He and the commander got along well enough. It was unusual for him to be late where with Tom it wasn't. Not that he didn't try; he just found things to do along the way. He replaced an ensign at his post and began a level one diagnostic check on the helm's systems.

"I've got something on sensors," Harry said from his station at Ops.

Tom tapped a few keys and found the same thing. "What do we have?" the captain asked.

"Looks like..." Harry started as he worked on clearing up his readings. "The Ganom ships."

Janeway's eyes were large as she turned to look at the ensign. "Are you sure?"

"I've got them on my sensors too," Tom called to her.

The captain stood moving to the edge of her level on the bridge to look at the screen. "How did they catch up?" No one could answer her. "How far away are they?"

"Two light years, at mark 39.2."

"Let me see it," she ordered. The view changed and the four ships could be seen heading through a large cluster of asteroids filled with heavy gases. "What's in those gas clouds?"

"High concentrations of hydrogen bromide and uranium sulfate," Ensign Kim answered.

"It's a wonder their ships are still holding together," Tom muttered from his seat.

Janeway nodded. "Can we avoid them?"

Tom nodded cautiously. "We can, but we'll have to out run them all over again." He looked back at her. "Think they'd follow us all the way to the alpha quadrant?"

"They just might," Janeway said grimly. "Tuvok, find out what we're up against. Commander Chakotay to the bridge. Red alert!" She sat back down in her chair. "It's time we settled this."

**oooooooo**

Tiny drifts of incense wafted between Chakotay and Ayden in Chakotay's quarters. They had been sitting for almost an hour across from each other. He through his own journey as she began her first. His began like so many others. Visions of the forest, his family. His spirit guide joined him. He knew him well. He was surprised to have another animal join him. A young ferret sat in the branch of a tree watching his journey. It was light brown, its paws and the tip of its tail black. Chakotay turned to the new spirit guide.

'_It is an honor,'_ he said politely.

The ferret blinked at him. '_Is this a family?'_ it asked in a kind, womanly voice.

Chakotay looked down the small sloping hill to his tribe as a child. '_Yes. Do you wish to join us?'_

The ferret gazed curiously at him. '_What would I do with a family?'_ The tiny animal easily jumped to the ground and found a small thicket of weeds to roll about in. '_What is its purpose?'_

Chakotay frowned for a moment. '_Everyone must have someone. Some part of them must join with others, to become a whole.'_

'_Then I am incomplete without this family,'_ the ferret said. '_I have no value if there is no family designated to me.'_

Designate? Incomplete? Chakotay wondered. He sat down next to the ferret and reached out to stroke its soft fur. The animal reached out with its sharp teeth in warning shirking back in fear. Chakotay snatched his hand back so he wouldn't be bitten. '_You're Ayden's spirit guide, aren't you?'_ The ferret ran for a pond not to far away from where they sat. Chakotay followed her to sit on the side of the pond watching as the ferret agilely slid down a small bank playfully into the water. '_How did you come to be in my mind?'_

The ferret looked up from the water. '_Is it important?'_

'_Yes,'_ Chakotay said firmly. '_Are we joined by the Borg implants?'_

It slipped out of the water and shook its furry body out. '_I am alone.'_

'_No, you're not,'_ Chakotay said sincerely. '_You have us now. We are your family.'_

The ferret moved away at a tremendous speed. Leaving Chakotay far behind. '_You will leave me. I am alone.' _

Chakotay opened his eyes as the journey ended. Ayden watched him as he returned to the conscious world. The slim implant in her forehead was glowing softly. Her eyes were dark as she concentrated.

"Commander Chakotay to the bridge," was routed into the quarters. The captain sounded urgent.

Chakotay stood. "You're not alone," he said firmly. She stood with him, her face expressionless. "Go to your quarters until Seven comes to get you."

**oooooooo**

The ships came into communications range shortly before Chakotay arrived on the bridge. The Ganom she had talked with five days previous was on the screen once again. "As you can see captain, we are quite persistent in our duties to protect the rest of this system from the dark breed."

"And I assure you that all of my crew are well and you may return to your home," Janeway said darkly. The head Ganom did not look pleased. "If we were contaminated with the dark breed we would hardly be in any position to defend our ship against you."

The head Ganom scrutinized her eyes on her face. "Then you will allow us to scan your vessel?"

Janeway tensed slightly. "For what purpose?"

"No dark breed may leave here. You will let us be assured that there is no such thing on board your ship and we will leave you in peace."

A beam began to sweep through the ship. "They're scanning us!" Tom called out.

It passed quickly and the Ganom glared at her. "You have a dark breed aboard your ship! We demand you turn it over to us for termination."

"We can't do that," Janeway replied. "She's not like the rest of them. She's..."

The communication was cut leaving her in mid sentence. "Contact them again Harry," she told the ensign.

"They aren't responding to our hails," he called to her.

The first volley of fire came and Tom evaded a good share of them. They were jolted about a couple of times with direct hits.

"Shields are down to fifty seven percent," Tuvok told the captain.

"Return fire," Janeway ordered from her chair. "Have you found a weakness in their ships?" she asked the security chief.

"Their outer hulls have been corroded away. Enough to punch through, but their shields are holding strong."

"With four of them we may have problems," Chakotay finished.

"Let's find a way to get through those shields."

"A rotating modulation in the phaser settings may work," Tuvok suggested.

Janeway nodded. "Do it."

Tuvok began to fire upon the ships; Tom did his best to dodge the volley of return fire. Sparks crackled through the engineering console as it overloaded with heavy damage causing smoke to drift about the bridge. "We have casualties on decks nine through fifteen. Our shields are at four percent," Tuvok told them. "We cannot withstand another shot or we will have a hull breech."

"Did we damage them any?" Janeway asked.

"Two of the vessels shields are at forty nine percent. Another at seventy four and the last is at full."

Janeway sat in thought for a second. "Tom, see if you can stay close enough to the other ship to draw their fire onto each other. Tuvok, I need you to find a way through those shields."

**oooooooo**

Ayden watched as the crew members raced about. The blows to the ship almost threw her off her feet a couple of times. She hadn't made it down to the deck eight yet keeping out of the way as others ran about. The ship was in trouble. She had overheard a few of the crew talking about the Ganom and their desires to exterminate her. The ship was damaged. She could sense it. Voyager would fail. Finding a console on the wall she couldn't make sense of the symbols on the pads but she knew the function of it.

Carefully she placed her right hand over the largest colored pad, just about the size of her palm. She touched the plating and concentrated closing her eyes. The palm of her hand sank down into the panel as she joined her mind with the ship's computer.

**oooooooo**

"Shields are back at full," Tuvok said with a curious note in his voice.

The ship's velocity increased as it dove beneath the Ganom's fire. It gracefully banked upward coming between two of the ships in a tight hairpin turn.

"I've been locked out!" Tom said as he tried to control the ship's course.

Janeway and Chakotay looked to their consoles. "Bridge to engineering!" the captain called out.

"Torres here, the warp core is running at an efficiency of two hundred and thirty three percent, captain!" B'Elanna called out over the communications as one of the Ganom ships fired.

Voyager slipped away and the Ganom ship behind it took the direct hit causing their shields to fail. Voyager whipped around and the phaser banks lit up destroying the ship in a blaze of light.

"It looks as though all commands are being processed through a systems panel on deck five." B'Elanna continued. "I don't believe it!...The transfer of information is almost too fast for the computer to handle."

"The information transference is Borg," Ensign Kim said from his station.

"Janeway to Seven of Nine!" Janeway called out.

"I am on route to deck five," Seven replied. "If my assumption is correct Ayden has interfaced with Voyager's main processor."

Janeway looked shocked at Chakotay. "Isn't that dangerous?" she asked Seven.

"Yes, captain," Seven said. "Direct interfacing such as this could overload Ayden's neural implants."

"Another ship has lost its shields," Tuvok told them.

"Janeway to Ayden! Stop what you're doing!" Janeway called out on the comm system.

'_I cannot comply,'_ the ship's computer said. It was in the same voice Chakotay had heard in his spirit journey mixed in with the regular computer's voice.

"You're going to kill yourself if you don't!" the captain told her looking curiously at Chakotay about the new voice the computer had taken on. "You will stand down!"

'_I cannot comply, value incomplete. Termination will give value,'_ the computer answered.

Janeway stood up looking furious. "Ayden, your death will not give you value! Value comes from what you give to others in life, not in death! Now release the ship's computer!"

'_I do not wish to be alone anymore. Death is preferable,'_ the computer said.

Janeway realized she wasn't going to get anywhere with her. "Seven have you found her yet?" she asked.

"Yes, captain. I will attempt to remove her," Seven replied.

**oooooooo**

Seven found Ayden in the corridor with several security crew members surrounding her not sure of what to do. They backed away for her to get through. Ayden was sweating and trembling under the intense overload to her system. Seven found the lights on the control panel flashing with the flow of information. Pulling out a hypospray she placed it against the side of Ayden's neck injecting her with it. Ayden trembled even harder as her eyes opened. She looked to Seven who waited when suddenly her trembling stopped. Her eyes rolled back as her hand disengaged from the panel and she slumped forward unconscious. Seven caught her as she fell.

**oooooooo**

"I have the helm back!" Tom said anxiously as he piloted the ship out of range. Of the two remaining ships one was heavily damaged and the other's shields were gone.

"Shields are at sixteen percent," Tuvok informed them. "Ship's velocity is decreasing."

"Hail one of the ships," Janeway told Ensign Kim. "Tom move us a safe distance away."

The screen with the Ganom came on. "Leave us or be destroyed," she warned them.

"We cannot," the Ganom told her. "The dark breed must die."

"She's not one of them. She has some of their genetic traits but she's not a monster!" Janeway said.

"You must terminate it before it destroys you all," he said angrily.

"We will not kill her. She is a part of our crew," Janeway told them.

"Then at least we will not die in vain," was the reply.

The screen returned to the view of the two ships as they turned on them. "Take evasive maneuvers, Mr. Paris." She glanced over at Tuvok. "Disable them, Mr. Tuvok."

"Aye, captain."

**oooooooo**

**Captain's Log, supplemental.** _The remaining Ganom vessels are no longer in pursuit. With their engines disabled Tuvok estimates three months before they will repair the necessary components. The crew is working on repairs as we leave this sector of space and put ourselves far away from the Ganom. _

_Ayden..., or as the crew logs will now officially show her as Ayden Hansen is still in sickbay. The hypospray the doctor had given Seven to stop Ayden was created by the doctor some time ago. With Seven's Borg technology it was designed to inhibit her incase her Borg implants overrode her completely. In this case with the neural damage by prolonged exposure to the main computer the treatment has induced a coma. It has been three days and the doctor shows no sign of recovery. He has informed me that if she does not show any signs of improvement within twenty four hours he will put her into stasis until he and Seven can find a way to repair the damage. _

_Lieutenant Torres has informed me that the system panel on deck five now has a permanent recess with Ayden's palm print. The panel is inaccessible but still functioning and for the moment the least of our worries. As for the voice of the computer, that also seems to have Ayden's voice pattern imprint. Seven and Ensign Kim believe it was caused by the complete link between the two. I do have to note that the computer sounds more...human._

**oooooooo**

Seven entered sickbay two hours before the doctor was planning to transfer Ayden into stasis. Seven moved over to look at the younger woman. The doctor came out of his office to join her. Ayden looked calm in her comatose state. Her right hand had been healed and a few small monitors were placed on and to the side of her forehead to watch her neural activity.

"Has she shown improvement?" Seven asked in the quiet of sickbay.

The doctor was not pleased. "No, she hasn't. If you'd like to help me we could transfer her now."

Seven looked to the doctor. "I wish to try something first, if I may."

The doctor looked curious. "And that would be?"

Seven turned to face him completely. "Commander Chakotay has informed me of the spirit quest he and Ayden took together on the day Voyager was attacked. I wish to attempt this again." The doctor was skeptical. Seven looked skeptical herself. "I do not wish her to be alone," she said sincerely, her voice was mildly compassionate.

The doctor looked at her with a slight smile. "Far be it from me to stand in a sister's way." Seven moved up to Ayden's upper half and put out her left arm. "Wait!" the doctor stopped her. "You can't directly link with her! You'll cause the same damage to yourself!"

Seven looked at him. "I have buffered my internal sensors so that full exposure cannot occur."

The doctor looked uncertain. "Then I would like to monitor your vital signs while you're linked."

She nodded. "Very well."

Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay entered as the doctor fixed the sensor to Seven's neck. Both of them looked to them. "What's going on?" the captain asked.

Seven nodded to Chakotay. "I am about to try to communicate with Ayden."

Janeway looked to the doctor. "Is this safe?"

The doctor showed his displeasure but didn't say anything negative. "I'll be monitoring both of them. If there's a problem I'll stop it."

Seven looked to the captain. "Proceed," Janeway told her.

Seven injected her tubules into the side of Ayden's neck. Her eyes closed as the console by them gave a warning signal. The doctor moved to look at it. "It's pulling her in too deep!" he said urgently as he picked up a hypospray clipping a vial into it.

"They're okay," Chakotay said calmly, his eyes were not completely in focus. "Let her stay."

The doctor looked to the captain who was watching between Chakotay and the younger women. She nodded; the doctor sighed but held back.

**oooooooo**

Seven found herself in the green forests that Chakotay had introduced Ayden to. She made her way through the forest to find Ayden sitting on a large rock looking out at a magnificent sunset lowering behind the tall trees and mountains, the reflection of it shining in her face from the water on the small pond. Seven moved down to stand by her. Ayden shifted on the rock giving Seven enough room to sit by her. Seven looked at Ayden finding that all the Borg implants were gone. She looked at her own reflection in the pond and found that hers were gone as well. She ran a smooth hand over her left eyebrow. She joined Ayden on the rock.

'_Your presence is required,'_ Seven told her.

Ayden glanced in her direction. '_It never has before. Why should it be any different now?'_

Seven gazed at the soft spoken young woman. Her voice was rich and confident. She didn't shy away from her here. '_I,- require your presence'._

Ayden looked up at her. '_There is nothing out there. Pain, scorn, hopelessness. I do not want them anymore. I want to stay here where nothing can hurt me.'_

Seven looked uncertain. '_Have you felt this way on Voyager?'_

Ayden was silent in thought. '_No. But you will all leave, like the ship I inhabited before. I cannot endure that torment again.'_

'_I will not leave you. You are...my sister, my family. Captain Janeway and the others are part of our new family. We will not leave you,'_ Seven said sincerely.

_I do not know how to join a family. I have never had one,'_ Ayden replied somberly.

Seven gazed out at the sun then down to the small clearing. She concentrated for a moment, a young man and woman slightly older than them appeared in the edge of it looking eagerly to the two young women sitting on the rock.

Ayden looked at them, then to Seven. '_Who are they?'_

'_Our parents.'_ Ayden looked confused. '_The ones who gave us life. Our first family.'_ She stood up and offered her hand to Ayden. '_I will introduce you to them.'_

Ayden slowly stood taking Seven's outstretched hand letting her lead her into the clearing.

**oooooooo**

Chakotay smiled back in sickbay. He looked to the captain and the doctor. "I think you can forget about the stasis chamber, doctor."

The doctor looked at the two sisters who hadn't moved, but Ayden's vital signs had begun to improve. He glanced over at the commander. "Are you sure?"

Chakotay grinned deeply as he felt Seven reacquaint herself with her past and introduce her sister to one she should of had. "I'm positive."

**END**


End file.
